Rating Scales Graphics.pdf

Diverging stacked bar charts are recommended for presenting results of rating scales, such as Likert scales, due to their ability to effectively compare attitudes of respondents in different demographic categories. These charts display percentages of respondents who agree and disagree with a statement, with a neutral category in the middle. They allow for easy comparison of total percentages of agreement and disagreement, making them a more effective presentation method than other graph forms, including tables, bar charts, grouped bar charts, bar charts of means, divided bar charts, and multiple pie charts.

Key advantages of diverging stacked bar charts include:
- Easy comparison of attitudes across different demographic categories
- Ability to display total percentages of agreement and disagreement
- Effective use of space, allowing for presentation of multiple categories in a single chart
- Avoidance of perceptual problems associated with pseudo-three-dimensional charts

Other graph forms have limitations, such as:
- Tables: do not facilitate easy comparison of subsets of respondents
- Bar charts: can be confusing when presenting multiple categories
- Grouped bar charts: encourage comparisons within categories rather than across categories
- Bar charts of means: can be misleading due to the assumption of even spacing between attitude descriptions
- Divided bar charts: make it difficult to compare lengths without a common baseline
- Multiple pie charts: can be difficult to read and compare.

Diverging stacked bar charts can be created using R and Tableau, making them a practical and effective choice for presenting results of rating scales.